I'm absolutely against cororal punishment of any kind. I just think it sends out an awful message to child involved: "I love you, but that doesn't mean I won't be violent towards you". While I understand that parents genuinely think it works, if you're willing to put in the time and effort to do research there are plenty of effective non-violent discipline methods avaliable.

In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.*Pro-Choice and Proud*

I don't agree with smacking, at least where my daughter is concerned. Time out works so much better, as does ignoring her (which is getting easier the more I do it- even in public). She may be 2, but she's already pretty well behaved. She can't talk yet, so talking to her won't work yet, but I'm keeping that one ready for when she's older.

Smacking didn't ever stop me doing stuff, nor did hair pulling, humiliation or being slapped (all up to age 15- I left home just after my 16th birthday). If Sammie's about to do something dangerous, I either pull her away or tap her on the hand (not hard, just enough so she feels it and looks up, so that I can tell her not to do it!). Her older cousin is smacked, and has hit me a lot more than Sammie ever has (though it's up to his parents to discipline him, not me :p)

I'm hoping that by the end of this year, she'll be able to talk, and will be easy to manage, considering she'll be starting Nursery in January next year.